Facts about white cedar and some of the more popular woods used in the manufacturing of fencing that are in demand today.

Northern white cedar, a slow-growing medium-sized tree is the eastern form of Thuja and the smaller of the two American species of the genus. Locally, the tree is often called the eastern arborvitae, arborvitae, swamp cedar, eastern white cedar, or white cedar.

The botanical range extends westward from Anticosti Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the southern portion of James Bay and through central Ontario to southeastern Manitoba in Canada; the southern boundary runs through central Minnesota and Wisconsin, along a narrow fringe around the southern tip of Lake Michigan and through southern Michigan, southern New York and central Vermont and New Hampshire. It is found locally in other scattered areas.

Northern white cedar grows both in swamps and on uplands, but does not develop well on extremely wet or extremely dry sites. Most of the commercial stands are found in the swamplands in northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, southern Ontario, and Quebec, and in Maine and New Brunswick.

As a tree of medium size, Northern white cedar is commonly 40 to 50 feet tall and reaching two to three feet in diameter. Infrequently the tree attains a maximum size of 80 feet tall and six feet in diameter. On average swamp sites in the Lake States, it takes from 80 to 100 years to grow a tree to a six-inch diameter. To produce a post on the typical swamp sites requires about 60 to 80 years, a tie 150 to 175 years, and a 20-foot pole about 200 years. It generally grows more slowly than its associated species and is longer-lived, reaching ages of 400 years or more.

Besides being used for fencing, Northern white cedar is used principally for poles, ties, posts, shingles and, lumber. The wood is very light in weight, of low shrinkage, comparatively free from warping, is soft, brittle. It splits readily, has a characteristic aromatic odor, and has a fine, uniform texture. It is easily worked and holds paint well. The sapwood, usually less than an inch in width, is nearly white, while the heartwood is light brown with a reddish tinge. The heartwood is resistant to decay, making it especially desirable for service in contact with the ground.

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Choose from a wide array of beautiful cedar fence styles from basic stockade made with rounded front, pointed top pickets to more decorative styles made with 1″x4″ flat boards. We also offer privacy fencing with 1″x5″ v-match tongue and groove boards. We use 2″x3″ molded and doweled backer rails that go into drilled holes in the posts on all of our privacy styles to create a distinctive design that makes our fencing stand out from the rest. Click on the photos below to enlarge and begin slideshow of some of the styles we offer.

John Hancock

John Hancock (scalloped) Gate with Dado Top Caps on Panels & Posts with Flat Caps

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Choose from a variety of distinctive cedar fence styles from basic space picket made with rounded front, pointed top pickets to other styles designed with 1″x4″ flat boards or 2″x2″ pickets. Set your fence apart by choosing a square post with a decorative post cap or top or go simple with a round post.

Click on the photos below to enlarge and begin slideshow of some of the styles and options we offer.